YOU DID WHAT!??! WITH WHOM? FOR HOW MANY JELLY BEANS? haha sorry. just had to do it. you'll know when you read the first sentance. Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. Here's a little more humor. Zuko and his acceptance into the group. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: why cant i just own avatar? It'd make this so much easier. But alas, i dont.

"YOU DID WHAT!??!" came the scream of the bewildered Sokka. Shay winced and looked to the mouth of the cave, knowing Zuko would have heard – he was sitting right outside. She hoped it had not scared him away.

"You have to trust me. I want what is best for the Avatar and for the fate of the world. I wouldn't have left Ba Sing Se to teach Aang otherwise. I wouldn't bring Zuko if I didn't trust him to help us," Shay whispered, her eyes locked on his. The water warrior would have looked away, but there was some sort of hope in her eyes; as if she thought maybe he had a heart and would let the banished prince stay.

Sokka gave a frustrated sigh and turned away. "Oh yeah, trust you. A fire bender that we hardly know." He grew silent for a moment, his shoulders sagging. "You have my permission," he muttered, making Shay grin, genuinely lighting up the cave.

"Whoa, wait a second. Sokka, think of what you are doing here," Katara said, stepping between the two, "Zuko has proven that he isn't the most trustworthy of people." With that, Katara seemed to shudder, as if thinking of a past memory.

"As long as its ok with Aang," Sokka said, turning to the young boy.

Aang bit his lip and looked between the three kids. He was weary to add the Fire Prince to their group, but it would probably pay off in the end. He nodded, turning to Sokka, "As long as everyone is safe."

"We'll watch him closely. Any sign that he's working for the other side or trying to get Aang, and he'll be attacked and left to die," the boy suggested.

Shay raised an eyebrow at the extremity, adding one last note, "Zuko's a little…on the edge, so please be as civil as you can."

Katara snorted, "As civil as enemies get."

Zuko sat at the edge of the water, looking into it moodily. He could tell there was arguing in the cave. Of course there would be, but somehow all of their resentment seemed to sting into the boy like a shard of glass. The more he had spent with Azula at the palace after his betrayal, and the more he spent time with Ashayna, he realized more whose side he wanted to fight on. Too bad he was viewed as a traitor from both sides.

What would your mother want?

The voice rang in his ears. Zuko looked around, shocked. He was not one who generally believed in or got spooked by the spirits, but this had "spirit world" written all over it. The banished prince shook the echoing thoughts from his head and stared back into the small pond.

Only to see the face of his mother looking back at him.

The boy yelled in amazement and surprise and backed up in instinct. It just so happened that Ashayna had been walking up to him. His back collided into her legs, which, in turn, sent the girl toppling over him and into the pond. The face of his mother disappeared in the ripples as Ashayna came sputtering out of the water. She stood, waist high in water with a look of shock written upon her face.

Zuko just stared at her, in shock as well.

The Avatar and his three friends came out to see what the commotion was about. Sokka and Aang started to laugh at the awkward scene in front of them. Katara huffed, dismissing it as foolishness; she did not want to have anything to do with Mr. Traitorous Prince. Toph stood there, feeling dumb. "What happened??" she asked, resorting to punching Sokka as the two boys kept laughing.

Zuko, feeling ridiculous, helped his friend out of the water. "Sorry Ashayna, let me help you," he said, putting his hands on her shoulder. He sent a blast of hot smoke down her body, drying up her clothes. The girl shook out the remaining moisture from her hair.

The sight of fire bending quickly sobered the two laughing boys. Sokka, realizing he was now going to have to compete with the older male for superiority in the group, puffed out his chest. "We have extended our sympathies to allow you to stay with us," the boy said proudly, "but only if you behave."

Zuko rolled his eyes and Toph snickered. "Come off it, Snoozles. You are about as intimidating as my mouse-bunny back at home." The water warrior blushed and grumbled as he walked back into the cave, pulling a surprised Toph with him.

The two fire benders looked at Aang, who tried to smile. The tension between Aang and Zuko was palpable; she could almost cut Sokka's boomerang through it. "Aang, this is Zuko; future Fire Lord. Zuko, this is Aang; future hero of the world."

Zuko looked shocked at the words, Aang simply smiled, "I'm glad you could finally join us Zuko," the young monk said, bowing. Ashayna bit her lip, nervous about the greeting. The weight seemed to lift off her shoulders as the banished prince returned the formalities.

"It is an honor to serve the Avatar."

Ashayna was utterly shocked to hear such words come out of Zuko. She had been expecting a simple bow and then a stalk off to silence near the woods. Something had gotten into the boy that made him more willing to be a part of this little group. Forgetting formalities, the girl laughed and hugged Zuko, grateful that he was here.

He's listening to his mother

A kind voice rang into her ears – the sound of Lady Ursa's voice. She believed in the spirit world; having visited it in her dream, but the echoing sounds in her head made her feel safer, as if the small groups of youth had something none of their enemies did.

The spirit world on their side.

Azula watched from the far bushes as her brother was welcomed into the Avatar's group. The girl ignored the pang of jealousy and marked it off as a hunger pang.

"Ty Lee, I hope you are almost done with the food or I'm going to have a feast on you," the girl hissed back to her friend. The two girls had sobered up quite a bit since Mai had gone missing. Neither knew where the girl had gone but only Azula realized that Mai had probably had enough of the trio. She'd have to pay.

Ignoring all other emotions, Azula watched her brother and his newfound allies, smiling to herself. Success and Revenge were only a couple steps away.